


Dyckman Street

by QueenTzahra



Category: X -エックス- | X/1999
Genre: If You Love Me Answer Me Softly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-16 02:26:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8083072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenTzahra/pseuds/QueenTzahra
Summary: Just some short pieces about Subaru's client on Dyckman Street in the If You Love Me, Answer Me Softly universe.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [If You Love Me, Answer Me Softly](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7484628) by [QueenTzahra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenTzahra/pseuds/QueenTzahra). 



> Hello hello, happy Monday!
> 
> So, I never really expected to write this but I'm glad I did and I think there will be more?
> 
> I was talking to my friend SilverServerError about the young woman Subaru goes to see in chapter 6 of If You Love Me, Answer Me Softly. You know the one, uptown with the scumbag ex who she's afraid of? The one Seishiro doesn't want him to see? Yeah.
> 
> Anyway, we were sort of exploring their relationship and this scene was born. Um... yeah, I don't think there's anything left to say. Enjoy!

“Subaru?”

“Yes?”

“Um,” his client paused, biting nervously at her lip. He smiled encouragingly. “If it’s not totally inappropriate, do you want to stay for dinner?” Subaru hesitated. He hadn’t told Seishiro when he was due home, and in any case that was the last place he wanted to be. He thought of the night before, of trying to have an actual discussion with Seishiro, only to get shut down and scared away. Anger churned his insides, and almost spitefully he told his client,

“I’d love to.” Gratitude lit her face and Subaru’s heart ached for her. He knew she was afraid to be by herself.

He’d arrived at her apartment that afternoon in the middle of a cold spring rainstorm. Like last time, she’d appeared exhausted, fragile and hollow. He’d felt rather insensitive asking her, “how are you?”

“Not good,” she’d replied, truthfully, gazing back at Subaru with swollen eyes.

“What happened?” She’d pressed her lips together, swallowed and shook her head, unwilling or unable to speak. Subaru said nothing, waiting, then finally she answered. 

“You can look.”

“Are you sure?” She nodded. He’d explained his power to go within people this way after it had happened accidentally the last time. She’d been embarrassed at first, but then seemed to come around to the idea. She could explain what was going on without having to say it out loud, which was still far too painful. They sat down on her mattress, still the only piece of furniture in the apartment, and he took a meditation mudra and began chanting. 

“On kakaka bisanmaei sowaka. On kakaka bisanmaei sowaka. On kakaka bisanmaei sowaka.” Over and over again he chanted the mantra until he could see her memories, clear and sharp. The person he knew to be her ex, showing up at her job, smearing her on social media, calling and texting her. Subaru felt terrified for her and disgusted by her ex’s actions. He withdrew from her mind, breathing rather heavily, his hand on his heart. At once she began to cry, and Subaru felt her shame as his own. “It’s all right,” he told her. He felt a sudden wave of anger at Seishiro for keeping him from her last week. He could have been here sooner, could have done more for her. It was bad enough they hadn’t been able to meet the day before, as they’d planned, because of her work schedule. Finally, she was able to collect herself. “Will you please get a restraining order?” He asked her, firmly but kindly. She sighed heavily, as though she was admitting defeat, and nodded. “You can’t do this by yourself,” he told her, very quietly.

“I know, it’s just… Who can I ask? I was so awful to my friends when we were together, how can I ask them for help now?” She demanded, wiping her eyes impatiently. “I ignore you for ten months because of my boyfriend and now we’ve split up I want you back? Like what the fuck is that?!” She began to cry again, and Subaru’s throat burned.

“I’m sure your friends would be glad to help you, they must be worried about you.”

“I don’t _want_ them to worry!” She cried, looking up at him, her expression anguished.

“Of course not,” Subaru said, totally understanding. “But they’ll worry about you regardless of if you want them to or not. If you reach out to them at least they’ll be able to help you.” She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, but said nothing. They passed a few minutes in silence, listening to the rain pattering against her grimy windows. At last, she wiped her eyes.

“You’re right,” she said, simply. Subaru did his best to smile.

“You don’t have to say anything before you’re ready,” he told her, quietly. She managed a small smile. 

“I’m so sorry about all this, I know this isn’t your job at all-”

“It’s fine, really,” he told her, kindly. She managed another smile.

“I would like to do more spells, if that’s okay…” Subaru had let her chant along with him, then he’d put up more wards, both for protection and clearing any negative presences. He’d helped her unpack more after that; she hadn’t done anything herself since last he’d been there.

“What are we having?” He asked her, following her toward the part of her studio apartment intended to be the kitchen.

“I made this tomato soup last night because of the rain, but, I couldn’t eat it. I’ll heat it up and we can have it with grilled cheese!” It was the first time Subaru had heard any kind of excitement from her, and though he was pleased, it hurt to think of this sweet, sociable person stuck under all this shame and sadness.

“That sounds great,” he said, warmly. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No no, it won’t take me long, you relax.” Twenty minutes later they sat on her floor, facing each other, eating dinner on mismatched dishes.

“This is so good, you really didn’t want to eat this?” Subaru said, incredulously, blowing on a spoonful of soup. She smiled appreciatively.

“Soup’s always better the next day,” she replied, quietly. Subaru could tell she was enjoying herself, taking care of someone else and receiving praise and gratitude in return. “Can I ask you something?”

“Certainly.”

“Your name,” she began, dunking a corner of her grilled cheese into her bowl. “It’s the Japanese word for The Pleiades, right?” Subaru nodded.

“What does the constellation mean there?” Subaru eyed her curiously; he’d never been asked that before.

“It depends on who you ask,” he began, dipping his own grilled cheese into his soup. “But most of the time unity, or coming together.” He bit into his sandwich and tasted all the butter she’d fried it in, finding it deeply comforting.

“That’s interesting,” she said, slowly. “In my tradition it’s all about death.” Subaru’s eyes widened.

“Really?” She nodded.

“To the Celts, yeah. The Pleiades would first appear in the sky around this festival for paying respect to the dead.”

“That’s so interesting!” She smiled, but shrugged.

“I like coming together better,” she told him. The rest of the night passed in soft conversation and second helpings of everything. Eventually, though, she checked the time on her cellphone and sighed sadly. “You should probably head home while the A train is still running express. You’re downtown, right?” Subaru nodded.

“By the Freedom Tower.” She looked suddenly concerned.

“With your powers? Doesn’t that hurt?” Subaru smiled, thinking of Kamui’s reaction. 

“It’s okay, that’s what wards are for.” She bit her lip, but nodded. Subaru helped her put all the dishes in the sink, then gathered his things, taking as much time as he dared. He really didn’t want to go home, but… 

“Thanks for everything,” she told him as she walked him to her door.

“Thanks for dinner,” he said, warmly. “I’ll see you next week, right?”

“Thursday afternoon!” They smiled at each other and Subaru retrieved his headphones from his bag.

“I like your headphones,” she said. “My ex broke mine after a fight a few weeks ago, I didn’t want to buy new ones in case…” She broke off, shrugging.

“Go buy new ones,” Subaru said. “Buy new headphones and get an order of protection, that’s your homework.” She smiled, tears beginning in her eyes, but nodded.

“Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> The title of this chapter is from the song Satellite by BT, which was also the song Subaru and Kamui were listening to in chapter 6 of If You Love Me.
> 
> I think about reviews when I summon my kekkai, leave me some!


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